If your company sells products rather than services, you need packaging. It’s one of those costs of business that you can’t get around. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have options.
According to Mordor Intelligence, the global packaging market is worth $1.1 trillion this year and will grow to $1.33 trillion in 2028. As you can imagine, small businesses can choose from all sorts of packaging possibilities. Whether focused on getting something economical, environmentally friendly, or versatile, you’ll want to find what’s right for you.
Continue reading to learn about five packaging options small businesses should consider.
1. Corrugated Cardboard Packaging
One of the more popular types of packaging is a cardboard box. But a corrugated cardboard box is thicker than a traditional cardboard box and offers more protection for your precious cargo. Corrugated cardboard packaging is more durable because it includes paper layers that will safeguard the packages and the contents, they contain from being damaged during transport.
You’ll want to consider this packaging option for your business if you ship fragile products. Consider, too, that corrugated cardboard boxes, while thicker than regular cardboard boxes, are usually lightweight. So, you won’t have to deal with exorbitant shipping expenses.
One way you can make your cardboard boxes — corrugated or regular — even more valuable is by using a machine known as a window patcher. It cuts and places a film on the box to create a “window,” enabling you and your customers to see into it. If you’ve ever bought a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving or a birthday cake for a special someone, you’re familiar with packaging that contains the cake and a patch you can peer into to see the delicious treat inside.
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If you sell products where it makes sense to allow people to peer into the closed box, consider a window patcher and cardboard boxes to make your packaging solutions more effective.
2. Mailer Bags
Shipping bags or mailer bags are also worth considering for your packaging needs. They lack the padding of padded mailers, but they have advantages that might be game changers for your company. Mailer bags are usually water resistant, available in larger sizes, and lightweight. They’re suitable if you typically sell soft products that don’t need extra padding. Do you sell apparel, fabrics, or other delicate products? Mailer bags should be on your shortlist of options.
3. Padded Mailers
Do you sell smaller products that need protection during shipping? Look at what padded mailers offer. They’re smaller than mailer bags, making them a better fit for smaller products in your inventory. The interior of the padded mailers is made from bubble wrap or some other protective material. Since these bags are available in small sizes, they can fit into mailboxes. That’s a good option if you’d rather have the packages left in mailboxes than on front porches.
4. Flexible Plastic Packaging
Yet another type of packaging you’ll want to explore is flexible plastic packaging. Created from low-density polyethylene or linear low-density polyethylene, this type of plastic is traditionally used as stretch wrap, shrink wrap, or plastic wrap that can be applied to pallets or skids.
This type of packaging is a good idea if you sell things like tools, pet food, or snacks.
5. Rigid Plastic Packaging
Rigid plastic packaging might be the right packaging material for your business. It’s constructed from high-density polyethylene plastic or polyethylene terephthalate plastic. And it’s traditionally used for packaging that contains water, lotion, pop, and other products along those lines.
If your business needs product packaging, exploring what’s out there makes sense. The five packaging solutions mentioned above are among the more common types available. Look into what’s available and make an informed decision that fits your business best.
